Machakos Governor, Alfred Mutua, on Monday, oversaw the closure of all private clinics and laboratories located within a 1km radius of any public health care facility within his county.
The visibly angered governor disclosed that he wasn’t blinded to the fact that there exists a scheme in which the health workers working for the government collude or even own some of these chemists which they use to extort Kenyans.
The governor had made his way to Machakos Level 5 hospital where he went on to address the residents who had gathered to witness the dramatic scenes, as business permits and licences were revoked, with practitioners linked to the various establishments arrested as well.
On February 7, 2019, Governor Mutua had made a trip to the very same area and uncovered consignments of drugs and other commodities that had been stolen from the hospital only to be sold to the desperate residents seeking medical care.
He affirmed he had ordered them to close up shop as they were compromising health services at the public hospital as well as providing an easy route for cartels to thrive.
“As per the law & regulations, there should not be a private clinic, lab, pharmacy & such health providers within 300 meters of a Machakos Government health facility,” the governor maintained.
He went on to declare that the public hospital had enough drugs and equipment to serve the residents, adding that corruption and impunity needed to be tackled head-on.
“We have enough drugs, reagents and x-ray equipment and it is the hallmark of impunity and corruption for health workers and their collaborators to deny Wananchi free health services that are already funded,” he retorted.
The Machakos boss also reiterated his unwavering campaign against impunity, corruption and greed, citing the need to place the common citizen first as his key driver.
Here are a few more photos plus a video of the governor during his raid on private chemists and laboratories located next to Machakos Level 5 hospital.
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